Non-fatal suicidal and life-threatening behavior among 13- to 17-year old adolescents seeking emergency medical care.

In suicidal behavior emergency room admissions of 13- to 17-year olds at the Brockton Hospital (Massachusetts), females predominated over males by almost two to one. For subclassification of life-threatening behaviors, frequency was about the same for males and females, but for suicide attempts and suicide gestures, female frequency was two to four times that of males. Repeat episodes of self-inflicted injury were more common among females. The type of the initial episode was a powerful predictor of a repeat occurrence.